Clearing the Clutter

Clearing the Clutter

Does your home suffer from “flat surface syndrome” (if there is a flat surface, it has something on it)? Is the “stuff” in your house ruling your life? I’ve heard it said that a cluttered home leads to a cluttered mind. Now is the time to declutter and simplify your life. Here are some tips to help you minimize the clutter in your home and maximize your peace of mind!

Stop the flow of stuff coming in. Decluttering doesn’t work if you simply replace old stuff with new stuff. As you begin to simplify, you will need to slow the flow of things coming into your house. Make a conscious decision today to buy less. You won’t regret it. The freedom from the desire to acquire is a wonderful thing!

Declutter at least one item a day. Decluttering doesn’t have to be done all at once. You don’t have to disrupt your whole household with a frenzy of “cleaning out”. Making it a gradual process will give you time to process what you are doing and to change the way you think about stuff. That way it becomes a lifestyle change and not just a crash diet of decluttering.

Declutter the easy stuff first. There is no reason to torture yourself by trying to declutter the hardest stuff first. Doing that would likely make you feel overwhelmed and deter you from completing the task all together. Start with the easy stuff, and as your will to reduce strengthens, it will be easier to get rid of the harder stuff.

Have a disposal plan in place. Do your research. Investigate your options for selling, donating and/or recycling items you choose to get rid of. The more you prepare for the task, the easier it will be and the more likely you will follow through with it. Check out Freecycle and Ebay and local thrift stores for disposal options.

Decide not to keep things out of guilt or obligation. Only keep things that you love and use. Don’t let other people determine what you should keep or get rid of. If something is not meaningful or useful to you, get rid of it!

Don’t be afraid to let go. If you are hanging on to something because you might use it someday, don’t. Be realistic. If you haven’t used it in years, chances are you will never use it. Let. It. Go.

Gifts do not have to be material. There are many gifts that end up as clutter. Encourage people to follow the concept of giving alternative gifts such as experiences and time spent together. Check out these Clutter Free Gift Guides for ideas.

Do not over-equip your home. Be realistic about your true needs. When deciding what to keep, think about the number of people that live in your home. If you buy new dishes or linens, make sure to get rid of the old ones.

Only declutter what is yours. Allow your other family members to decide which of their own belongings they want to keep and dispose of.

Do not waste your life on clutter! Every item that you own takes time out of your life: time to manage it, repair it, take care of it, clean it and maintain it. That’s in addition to the time you spent shopping for it or the time spent earning the money to pay for it in the first place. Make the decision today to stop living for things. Simplify and be happy!